How Your Pilates Studio Should Be Cleaning Pilates Reformers

What sort of cleaning products should you use on your pilates reformer? A lot depends on your circumstances.

Cleaning Sprays For Pilates Reformers
Cleaning sprays are generally the best option for in-home use because you can buy consumer-sized bottles of spray and use normal paper towels. It’s best to use a natural sports cleaning spray to avoid harsh chemicals and reduce wear-and-tear on the reformer, especially the vinyl. This also reduces your overall chemical exposure and is inline with a healthy lifestyle. Avoid bleach sprays at all cost as they will wear down vinyl and other materials on the reformer and can cause lung irritation.

Gym Wipes For Pilates Reformers
For studios with multiple reformers, it’s best to use gym wipes. Gym wipes are the preferred method to clean any gym equipment because they are specially-designed to disinfect materials you’d find on gym equipment. They also come in large commercial-sized refill rolls, making them very cost-effective. It’s best to avoid phenol-based wipes and bleach-based wipes as they tend to wear down vinyl upholstery and plastics faster than other disinfectants.

Vapor Fresh offers disinfecting gym wipes in refill rolls for high volume studios, as well as small canisters of gym wipes for smaller boutique studios that don't need as many. Both are powered by our plant-based chemistry that avoids harsh quats found in nearly all other gym wipes.

To ensure the longevity of your gym equipment and reduce the risk of MRSA outbreaks or other health concerns, it’s best to thoroughly clean every inch of your pilates reformer on a regular schedule. For studios, this may be a daily dedicated cleaning staff at the end of every day. For home use, this may just be a weekly procedure.

Tracks and Wheels
Use a damp towel or gym wipe to clean the tracks free of all dust and debris that has collected there. This will ensure a smooth glide and better workout for all users and prevent any maintenance issues down the line.

Focus on the headrest and carriage
Hair, makeup and sweat frequently gets caught between cracks and crevices of the headrest, shoulder rest and carriage. Take time to focus on the seams where these pieces meet to avoid hygiene issues and bad odors from forming. This may require a combination of gym wipes and spray.

Vacuum Under The Reformer
The area under the reformer should be wiped or vacuumed to eliminate dust accumulation. This will help prevent dust and debris from blowing up into the reformer and landing on the track.

Quick cleanings after every use are perfect for supplementing the more thorough cleanings done by a professional staff. For these quick cleanings, it’s important to focus on parts of the reformer that come in direct contact with the user, including the foot bar, carriage pad, head and shoulder rest and any straps you may use.

For studios, as long as thorough cleanings are being performed at the end of every day, it’s only really necessary to perform quick cleanings in-between uses to ensure that each client gets a truly fresh and clean reformer. Providing gym wipes is a great way to encourage these quick cleanings. This gives your members the option to wipe their equipment before and after, which provides them peace of mind that the reformer is clean when they use it.

For home use, quick cleanings are a great way to keep the reformer clean in-between the more comprehensive cleanings.

Like all gym equipment, the key to cleanliness and longevity is proper maintenance. Be sure to follow your manufacturer’s recommended procedures.

Ensure everything is connected properly
In general, to keep the reformer in good working condition, all of the nuts, bolts, screw and clips should be regularly checked to make sure they are tight and secure.

Check the springs
It’s also a good idea to disconnect the carriage springs and check for any deformities as well as rotate them to ensure equal use since springs on the right side tend to get heavier use than springs on the left.

Clean and lubricate the track
While the springs are disconnected, the wheels and track should be lubricated according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

By following these easy cleaning procedures and preventative maintenance measures, you can be sure to enjoy your reformer for years and years to come!